Post-Thanksgiving Reality Check: How did you do?

I'm very happy that the Big Meal is over; now we have a breather between the super-caloric Thanksgiving feast and the holiday parties, food gifts, extra treats and family dinners around Christmas and New Year's.
Taking stock of how the TG weekend went, I'm thrilled and somewhat surprised to find that I didn't gain an ounce between last Wednesday and this morning. Not sure how to account for that, but I'll take it.

I did follow my own advice about managing the caloric challenges, such as not drinking alcohol before the dinner itself, having only one dessert, and taking walks early and late in the day.

In any case, here is a recipe for a healthy main course that will help you get through this week of atonement for the Thanksgiving meal and the days of leftovers that have followed. It's easy to throw together, even after a long day at work or all those holiday-related errands on our to-do lists.

Recipe: Chicken Braised in Vinegar with Garlic and Celery Leaves
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.     1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2.     1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat and cut into 2-inch pieces

3.     Salt and freshly ground pepper

4.     2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

5.     Celery leaves from 1 large bunch

6.     1/2 cup chicken stock

7.     1/2 cup red wine vinegar

8.     1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

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Instructions:

In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; add it to the pan in a single layer. Cook over high heat, turning once, until well browned, 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook over moderate heat just until fragrant, 1 minute. Add most of the celery leaves and stir just until wilted, 30 seconds. Add the stock and vinegar and cook, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is reduced to a few tablespoons, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the parsley and the remaining celery leaves and serve.

Source: Food & Wine 

Loving Blueberries!

Chicken-Blueberry Salad

It's the peak season for my favorite fruit, now that Michigan blueberries have shown up in our local grocery stores. For about another month, there's no excuse not to eat loads of these perfect darlings every single day. While most of the time I'll have them in cereal, yogurt or mixed in with cubes of melon, with so many on hand it's good to have a variety of ways to enjoy them.

This chicken salad is light, healthy and perfectly balanced with savory-salty-sweet flavors.

Recipe: Chicken-Blueberry Salad
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 skinned and boned chicken breast halves
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 4 cups torn mixed salad greens
• 1 cup fresh blueberries 

Instructions:

• Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Reserve half of mixture, and chill.
• Place chicken in a shallow dish or heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; pour remaining mixture over chicken. Cover or seal, and chill at least 1 hour.
• Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Grill over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 6 minutes on each side or until done. Cut into thin slices.
• Combine celery and next 3 ingredients; add reserved dressing, tossing to coat.
• Place chicken over greens. Top with celery mixture; sprinkle with berries.

Chicken Breast: Master Cooking Lesson

This basic technique for cooking boneless, skinless chicken breast works just as well for other meats/fishes, such as salmon fillets, boneless pork chops or turkey breast cutlets.
The concept is simple and virtually foolproof for stovetop, one-pan cooking. For most meals, I'll add a steamed green vegetable such as broccoli and crusty bread. If you prefer, substitute a green salad and/or some rice or potatoes.

Step 1: Brown chicken on each side

Simply put: preheat a large frying pan (I use nonstick for easy cleanup) over medium-high heat, adding cooking spray or a bit of canola oil when the pan heats up. Season your meat/fish on both sides with salt and pepper, then brown one one side for 3-4 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for 2 minutes. (Step 1)

Remove chicken to a plate and tent with foil.

Reduce heat to medium and add a cup or two of chopped veggies -- many possibilities here. Be sure to include one or two aromatic vegetables, by which I mean onion, garlic, shallots, leeks, carrot or celery. Also good to add at this stage are sliced mushrooms, chopped fennel and/or diced peppers. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Step 2: Remove chicken, cook veggies

(Step 2)

Now add your liquid ingredients for more flavor and to blend the flavors in the pan. Chicken stock is my standard, but you can experiment with orange juice, tomato juice, white wine or even water. Heat the sauce through, then put the chicken back in the pan along with any juices that have accumulated in the plate. (Step 3)

Step 3: Add liquid, then return chicken to pan

Finally, if you have one large piece of meat, I'd recommend slicing it on top of the veggies on a serving platter. Be sure to adjust seasonings before you remove the food from your pan, adding more salt and pepper to taste.

 (Step 4)

Step 4: Serve!

As I noted, this technique is great not only for chicken but for almost any protein-based, simply sauced meal you can cook in a frying pan.

Delish Chicken Stew recipe from Jamie Oliver

I'm crazy about this TV chef, thanks mostly to his ABC-TV series last summer where he took on transforming the eating habits of the "unhealthiest city in America" (Huntington WV). He has another TV series coming up this spring, I read, and I'll be sure to blog about that so all healthy foodies have a chance to catch it.
Meanwhile, he has an article with several recipes in the current issue of Food & Wine.
My favorite is this, which I plan to cook this week. I love the combo of chicken, leeks and mushrooms, and the addition of a mustard and sour cream sauce sounds marvelous.


Recipe: Chicken and Leek Stew Serves 4

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2. 2 medium leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
3. 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
6. All-purpose flour, for dusting
7. 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
8. 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
9. 2 tablespoons sour cream
10. 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions

1. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the leeks and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender, about 4 minutes. Scrape the leeks and mushrooms onto a plate.
2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the skillet. Add the chicken and cook over moderate heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken stock and thyme and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to the plate with the vegetables.
3. Simmer the stock over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Return the chicken, leeks and mushrooms to the skillet and simmer over low heat until warmed through, about 1 minute.
4. In a small bowl, blend the sour cream with the mustard and stir into the stew. Remove the skillet from the heat. Season the stew with salt and pepper and serve.

Dinner for 4, even the kids will love

It's the mashed sweet potatoes -- always a hit around our table -- and more sweetness from sauteed shallots that combine to make this a tasty crowd-pleaser. Add a green salad and wine for the grown-ups for a complete and very healthy meal. And it has amazingly few ingredients, always a plus for the busy weeknight cook.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one- to 1 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 T olive or canola oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 large shallots, or more if you want, peeled and sliced into thin rings
2 T chopped fresh rosemary

Instructions:

1. Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil.
2. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 14 to 16 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the sweet potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash with the reserved cooking water.
3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
4. Cook the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer to plates.
5. Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the shallots are tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Serve the chicken with the potatoes and drizzle with the shallot mixture.

Based on a recipe from Real Simple magazine, Feb. 2010

Comfort food made healthier: Oven-fried Chicken

My mother and her mother -- Georgia girls -- were expert at frying chicken. Growing up, I had many a meal of the crispy stuff, accompanied by rice with milk gravy, oven-made biscuits and some sort of greens. When I started doing my own cooking, fried chicken was in my repertoire for awhile. But I gave it up quite some time ago, for any number of reasons. The obvious one is of course the calories, but there's also the mess it causes in the kitchen.
Still, I hate to go through life without having crispy chicken, ever again. This oven version can satisfy my cravings. Use panko bread crumbs, if you have them, or any other variety you choose.
(Shown served with butternut squash puree and a green veggie.)

Oven-Fried Lemon Chicken (serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (or panko bread crumbs)
Salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:
Place chicken between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap and pound lightly, to flatten slightly.
Arrange in a shallow dish and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a small skillet. Add garlic, rosemary and saute, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in bread crumbs and lemon zest, then season with salt and pepper.
Place egg in a shallow dish. Dip chicken breasts, one at a time, into the egg, then into bread crumb mixture, pressing with your hands so that the crumbs adhere to the chicken.
Arrange the chicken breasts on a lightly oiled, shallow baking dish.
Bake in a 400-degree preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges.

Comfort food made healthier: Chicken Pot Pie

We've done beef stew, cupcakes and a couple of other comfort-food standbys. How about that old fave, chicken pot pie?
Here's a recipe from Cooking Light that does a lovely job lightening up this classic dish. Note that they do use puff pastry -- maybe not the healthiest ingredient but, as the magazine notes, a little bit of indulgence can still make it into a fit & lean lifestyle. (Thank goodness for that.)
In this recipe, you can use all those different root veggies or substitute the same overall amount with ones you have on hand, or whose taste you may prefer.

Recipe: Chicken and Root Vegetable Pot Pie
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled baking potato
• 1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
• 1 cup (1/2-inch) cubed peeled celeriac (celery root)
• 1 cup (1/2-inch-thick) slices parsnip
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 ounces), divided
• 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring broth to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add peas and next 5 ingredients (through onions) to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes. Add chicken; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl.

Increase heat to medium. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place all but 1 tablespoon flour in a medium bowl; gradually add milk to bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broth; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken mixture, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon flour on a work surface; roll dough into a 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Place dough over chicken mixture, pressing to seal at edges of dish. Cut small slits into dough to allow steam to escape; coat dough lightly with cooking spray. Place dish on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 16 minutes or until pastry is browned and filling is bubbly.

More healthy comfort food

Creamy casseroles are wondrous fall and winter treats, but the healthy foodie avoids too much actual cream.
Try this creamy (but not with cream) chicken divan. The sauce uses lowfat milk thickened with flour and enriched with yummy Parmesan cheese. Leeks add a marvelous flavor to the mix.

Serve with rice, a green salad, and a nice chardonnay (yum).

And it's all guilt free!

Healthy-Foodie Chicken Divan Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups diced leek, white and light green parts only (about 1 large)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup low-fat milk(1% is best)
  
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry (try amontillado)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, or 1 pound broccoli crowns, chopped
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and slice into bite-size pieces.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek and salt and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; stir to coat. Add broth, milk, sherry, thyme and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add broccoli; return to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, mayonnaise and mustard.
4. Spread half the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then the remaining broccoli mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Adapted from a recipe in Eating Well back in 2006.

Guilt-Free Comfort Food

Who doesn't love fried chicken? I don't like it when it's too greasy, but perfectly-done chicken is hard to beat. But as we all know, deep frying is a no-no.
So here's a delicious take on oven-fried chicken, from Eating Well.

Great news—crunchy and flavorful fried chicken can be healthy. We marinate skinless chicken in buttermilk to keep it juicy. A light coating of flour, sesame seeds and spices, misted with olive oil, forms an appealing crust during baking. And with only 7 grams of fat per serving rather than the 20 in typical fried chicken—that is good news.

Recipe: Sesame-Crusted Oven-Fried Chicken
(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk, (see Tip)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 1/2-3 pounds whole chicken legs, skin removed, trimmed and cut into thighs and drumsticks
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Whisk buttermilk, mustard, garlic and hot sauce in a shallow glass dish until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or for up to 8 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
3. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Place the flour mixture in a paper bag or large sealable plastic bag. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place the chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray the chicken pieces with cooking spray.
4. Bake the chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours.

• Tip: No buttermilk? You can use buttermilk powder prepared according to package directions. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.

Chicken Gumbo

I made a variation on my usual chicken-and-shrimp gumbo this time, with no shrimp and a little bit of sausage for extra flavor. I also had some mild green chilies on hand, so added a couple of those along with the bell pepper.
Of course, the main ingredient for gumbo is fresh okra. If you tend to shy away from this veggie, know that there's a simply cooking technique that gets rids of the slimy liquid and makes okra a delicious part of any soup or stew (among other uses).
Preparing okra:
Simply slice the okra, discarding the stem ends, and saute in canola oil, stirring frequently, until the "roping" has stopped -- that is, until the white slimy liquid goes away. Set aside and add the cooked okra to your gumbo or other dish.

Recipe: Chicken Gumbo
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1/4 cup canola oil
1-2 large chicken, lamb or pork sausage(s), casing removed and crumbled
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1-2 mild green chilies, diced
One medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (optional)
2 T gumbo file and/or flour
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups chopped tomatoes, canned or fresh
1 pound fresh okra, cooked as described above
Salt and pepper
1 pound uncooked chicken pieces (preferably white meat; preferably organic and/or locally farmed)
3 T Worcestershire Sauce
3 T fresh lemon juice
Hot sauce for serving, if desired

Instructions:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until meat just begins to brown. Add next six ingredients (green pepper through jalapeno), stir well and cover the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to tenderize.
• Stir in file and/or flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes and okra. Season with salt and pepper, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10 minutes, checking to make sure mixture does not get hotter than a slow boil.
• Add chicken, stir well, and cover. Cook for another 5 minutes, or 10 minutes if you are using dark meat chicken.
• Remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if desired. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice.
• Ladle soup over cooked rice (preferably brown rice) and pass hot sauce at the table.

If you have leftover, store in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.

Easy, healthy and quick chicken dinner

Try this quick recipe!

Lemon-Chicken Stir-Fry

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
3 T soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 T canola oil
1 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup sliced carrots
10-12 ounces sliced mushrooms
1 cup snow peas, cut in half
1 shallot, minced

Instructions:
Grate 1 T lemon zest and set aside, then juice the lemon and reserve juice.
In a small bowl, whisk together the juice, soy sauce, broth and cornstarch; set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring, until chicken is done and veggies are just tender. Add lemon zest at the last minute.
Serve over brown rice.

Chicken with Slow-Cooked Mushrooms

I am a huge fan of shiitake mushrooms, and marveled at the plump, meaty ones in Suzie Wong's delectable Wild Mushroom Trio entree. Unlike my usual way of slicing and quick-cooking most mushroom preparations, Wong's kitchen presented them whole.

When making this dinner with organic chicken breast and shallots, I tried keeping the mushroom pieces larger -- whole for the smaller ones, cut in half if they were larger than a couple of inches in diameter -- and turning the heat down when they entered the pan.

I liked the result.

Recipe: Chicken Breast with Slow-Cooked Mushrooms
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 small, organic chicken breasts, seasoned on both sides with salt and pepper
2 T olive or canola oil
1/2 cup finely diced aromatic vegetables (carrots, onions, shallots or any combination)
1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 cups whole or thickly sliced shiitake mushrooms

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken on one side until golden, then turn and brown on the other side. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
Reduce heat to medium. Add aromatic vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, cover, and continue to cook until vegetables begin to tenderize, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms and remaining broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pan again. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Return chicken to the pan, spoon sauce and mushrooms over the chicken, and cover again. Cook until the chicken has heated through -- exact time will depend on how thick your chicken is, but it should be no more than another 5 minutes. Chicken breast can easily be overcooked, so be sure to remove the pan from the heat when the chicken feels firm to the touch but still has some "give" in it.
Adjust seasonings as needed, and serve immediately.

Poulet Saute a la Bordelaise -- lightened up a bit

From the great food author Elizabeth David's classic book "French Provincial Cooking," her chicken sauteed with shallots and artichoke hearts used to be in my repertoire, especially for company. (It was the first meal I cooked for the man who became my husband, it so happens.) But it calls for a whole chicken, cut up (with skin and bones), along with 6 tablespoons of butter. It had dropped out of my repertoire some years ago.
This weekend I resurrected it for a dinner party, but used breasts only -- with a little skin left on for flavor -- and substituted canola oil for the butter, and not cut back to four tablespoons. We also had a vegetarian entree (two of our guests were not meat-eaters), so I had the butcher cut the large chicken breasts in half. If the chicken pieces are large, this recipe easily will serve six.

One more note: look for free range chicken raised humanely, hormone free, and no water added to the meat. It's not easy to find this kind of chicken, and you're never really sure what you're getting, no matter what the label says. I bought mine at Whole Foods, where the head of the meat department assured me that "all our chicken is free-range."

Recipe: Poulet Saute a la Bordelaise/Sauteed chicken with shallots and artichoke hearts

Ingredients:
Four large bone-in split chicken breasts, cut in half
4 T canola oil
2 cups whole peeled shallots--cut in half lengthwise if they are very large
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 12-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and drained
1/2 cup chicken stock

Instructions:
Wash the chicken pieces and trim any visible fat and extra skin. Dry thoroughly with paper towels.
Heat 3 T of the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken--a few pieces at a time, if necessary (don't crowd the pan)--on all sides, starting with the skin side down. When the pieces become brown, remove to a plate and tent with foil.
Add the shallots to the pan and stir well as you cook them. When they start to brown, return the chicken to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, lay the bay leaves on top and cover the pan.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pan. Every 7-8 minutes, spoon the pan juices over the chicken.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 T oil in a smaller skillet. Add the artichoke hearts and stir well. Season with salt, cover the pan and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the hearts are tender.
After the chicken has cooked about 15 minutes, remove the pieces from the skillet and arrange them on a platter with the shallots and artichoke hearts. Discard the bay leaves.
Pour the chicken stock into the large skillet and boil over high heat, scraping the pan drippings. Boil for a couple of minutes until the stock reduces to about 1/3 cup. Pour over the chicken and serve at once.

Recipe: Sauteed chicken with chanterelle mushrooms

Chanterelle mushrooms are another special treat of an ingredient that are only available now and then. I got mine at Madison's @ Findlay Market. You might also find some at Whole Foods or Jungle Jim's. Unlike most other mushrooms, the stems are just as tasty as the caps, so you don't have a bit of waste. I'm including a shot of the raw 'shrooms, top, in case you aren't familiar with them. Before they became available here in Cincinnati, I used to smuggle them back from France in my suitcase.
This recipe is for two, but as usual with my recipes, you can make twice the amount.

RECIPE: Sauteed Chicken with Mushrooms and Leeks

Ingredients:

2-3 T canola oil

2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably free range, grass fed and locally grown without hormones or antibiotics), patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper

1 cup chopped leeks (about one medium, white and light green part only, well washed)

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 cups sliced mushrooms—chanterelles if you can get them, or a mix of various types

1 cup chicken broth or stock, plus up to 1 cup more if needed

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for 3 minutes on one side. Turn over and saute for another 90 seconds. Chicken will not be completely cooked at this point. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with tin foil.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add leeks and garlic, saute while stirring for 2-3 minutes, until leeks soften and begin to turn brown. If pan seems too dry, add a little chicken broth.

3. Add mushrooms and continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms begin to brown, about 4 minutes. Add one cup of the chicken broth or stock and tarragon and stir well.

4. Return chicken to the pan, spoon some of the sauce over top of each chicken breast. Add salt and pepper. Cover and reduce heat to low. Add more broth/stock if the pan seems too dry. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until chicken is completely done. (Length of cooking time will depend on thickness of the chicken breast.) Serve immediately.

Recipe -- Confused Chicken (with Asian & Mediterranean ingredients)

More figs, you ask? I just happened still to have some fresh figs in my fridge, so I added them to this recipe. The dish will also be quick, healthy and satisfying if you make it sans figs. But they do add texture, natural sweetness, vitamins and of course fiber--all good healthy foodie things.

RECIPE: Chicken with Bok Choy, Shiitakes (and Figs)
(Serves 2; can be doubled)
(Prep time about 10-15 minutes; cooking time no more than 15 minutes)

Ingredients:
2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
2 T canola oil
1 large clove fresh garlic, minced
3 baby Bok choys, sliced or chopped
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 ½ cups chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon ground ginger
About 6-7 figs, left whole if they are the size of a walnut or cut in half lengthwise if they are larger (optional)
2-3 T light soy sauce (optional)

Instructions:
1. Place chicken on a sheet of wax paper and season with salt and pepper. Cover with another sheet of wax paper and, using a pistil or other heavy object, pound the chicken lightly to make it cook more evenly. [Note: Shop for free-range, pasture-fed and/or locally raised chicken whenever possible.]
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken when pan is hot. Cook without lifting the chicken for 3 minutes or until chicken starts to brown. Turn and do the same on the other side. When that side is browned, remove to a plate and tent with foil.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and stir until it begins to brown, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, cover and cook until vegetables have wilted, about 3-4 minutes. Add more stock if the dish seems too dry.
4. Return chicken and its juices to skillet, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken has heated through, about 3 minutes.

Serve with brown or white rice—brown is healthier, of course.